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    Home » Recipes » Sandwiches

    BLTs with Garlic Aioli

    By Nancy Mock September 1, 2017 Updated February 1, 2022 Leave a Comment

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    Two Ways To Make The Best BLT! Take advantage of the season's best, flavorful tomatoes to make the best BLT. And there are two variations to try!
    Half a bacon sandwich with a bowl of aioli in background

    The classic sandwich combo of bacon, lettuce, and tomato gets an upgrade! BLTs with Garlic Aioli are even more delicious than the original.

    Sandwich cut in half on a black board
    → Jump to Recipe

    One of my all-time, favorite sandwiches is the humble BLT.

    Bologna, lentils, and tuna? No, not that one.

    I mean a simple Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato. To me it's a perfect thing: the crunch of the toast (always white bread for a BLT, in my opinion), crisp, fresh greens, juicy slices of tomato, smoky, salty bacon. And a little swipe of mayo.

    It's a sandwich that evokes meals at cozy diners, grandparents' houses, weekend lunches, summertime. (Wow, that's a lot to load on one poor, little sandwich!)

    It's also a sandwich that's easy to adapt and change up! Add cheese (CBLT), add fresh basil (BBLT), leave out all the veggies and load on extra bacon (XB). If you add turkey, however, you are heading into Club Sandwich territory — and that's a whole different thing.

    White and red plate with cooked bacon and a slice of bread

    A quick history of the BLT

    The BLT sandwich was created at the beginning of the twentieth century, around the same time as the Club Sandwich. It grew in popularity after WWII, and the use of the abbreviation "BLT" became widespread in the latter half of the century.

    This nickname was likely picked up from the restaurants and diners where it was served, thanks to shorthand scribbles and shouts of "BLT!" from harried waitstaff to scrambling kitchens.

    Why you'll love this sandwich

    This BLT stays true to the classic interpretation, while also offering a little upgrade — in the form of garlic aioli. This rich, homemade mayonnaise makes a BLT even more incredible.

    Roasted garlic gives a beautiful flavor to the aioli, and nicely complements the smoky bacon and fresh veggies on the sandwich.

    Plate of cooked bacon with lettuce, bread, and tomatoes nearby

    🔪 How to make this recipe

    Step 1: Roast the garlic

    Roasted head of garlic on a wooden cutting board.

    Slice the top off of a whole head of garlic. Drizzle it with oil, wrap it in foil, and roast it for about 45 minutes. The cloves will be soft and the flavor mellow. Squeeze the cloves from the skins.

    Step 2: Make the garlic aioli

    Bowl of yellow aioli with a spreader.

    Blend in a food processor the roasted garlic, a little fresh garlic, egg yolks, vinegar, and spices. When the mixture is blended and smooth, add the oil in a thin stream while the processor is running. This will pull everything together in an emulsion.

    Step 3: The tomatoes and bread

    Whole heirloom tomatoes on a black board

    Slice the tomatoes into thick slices. Toast the bread slices.

    Step 4: Assemble the sandwiches

    Slice of bread spread with yellow mayonnaise

    Spread the toast with garlic aioli. Layer on the lettuce, tomato slices, bacon slices, and salt and pepper. Add a little more aioli if you'd like, then add the last pieces of toast. Cut the sandwiches in half, add sandwich picks, and serve!

    Bacon slices and lettuce on a piece of bread

    Notes:

    • When planning this recipe, allow for the time it will take for the garlic to roast. This step can be done in advance: store the roasted cloves in a sealed container in the fridge.
    • The garlic aioli can be made in advance as well, and stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. 
    • This homemade aioli is made with raw egg yolks. Eating sauces and foods made with raw or under-cooked eggs is not recommended for pregnant women, the elderly, children under the age of 4, or individuals with compromised immune systems.
    Hand holding half a sandwich with a tomato on top

    Sink your teeth into this savory BLT with Garlic Aioli! This recipe is below. And as long as you have sandwiches on the brain, here are a few more you should try, including another BLT:

    Boursin Cheese BLTs
    A humble BLT sandwich gets a tasty flavor upgrade! A Boursin BLT is next level with the herby, garlicky cheese to complement the bacon, lettuce, and tomato!
    Take me there
    Take advantage of the season's best, flavorful tomatoes to make the best BLT. And there are two variations to try!
    Make-Ahead Baked Breakfast Sandwiches
    Breakfast sandwiches loaded with sausage, egg and cheese. Make them the night before, and in the morning pop in the oven - it's a make-ahead recipe to easily feed a crowd at breakfast time!
    Take me there
    Pan full of breakfast sandwiches
    Corned Beef and Cabbage Slaw Sandwiches
    Get the flavors of a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner in a new way. This sandwich combines deli corned beef and fresh, crunchy cabbage slaw.
    Take me there
    Corned beef sandwiches with slaw on rolls.

    💬 What do you think of this BLT upgrade? How did your aioli turn out? Leave a comment and a star rating below!

    White bread sandwich with tomato and lettuce in a hand

    BLTs with Garlic Aioli

    Nancy Mock
    The classic sandwich combo of bacon, lettuce, and tomato gets an upgrade! BLTs with Garlic Aioli are even more delicious than the original.
    3 from 2 votes
    Print This Recipe Pin This Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Garlic roasting time 45 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Brunch, Lunch, Sandiwches
    Servings 4 servings

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the garlic aioli:

    • 1 head plus 1 small clove of garlic, divided
    • ⅔ cup plus two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
    • 2 egg yolks
    • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • Pinch black pepper

    Remaining ingredients:

    • 2 large tomatoes, washed
    • 8 slices thick, sourdough or white artisan bread
    • 1 small head Green leaf lettuce, washed and spun dry
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 16 pieces bacon, freshly cooked and drained
    • 8 Sandwich picks or toothpicks

    Instructions
     

    Make the roasted garlic:

    • Preheat the oven to 400° F.
    • Use a sharp knife to slice the inch or two off of the top of a whole head of garlic. This will expose the cloves within their paper shells. If a few cloves remain hidden, use the knife to cut into the tops of them.
    • Place a square of foil onto a baking sheet or in an aluminum pie plate. Put the head of garlic in the center of the foil. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the top of the head, covering each clove.
    • Pull the edges of the foil up around the garlic to enclose it. Place the sheet or pie plate in the oven and roast the garlic for 45 minutes. The cloves should be browned and soft.
    • Remove the garlic from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once it is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of the papery skins. Discard the skins.
    • Hold the cloves aside, or refrigerate them in a sealed container until ready to make the aioli.

    Make the aioli:

    • Place the remaining small, fresh clove of garlic, the roasted garlic, egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor.
    • Blend the ingredients together until they are smooth.
    • With the processor running, slowly add in the remaining olive oil in a stream to blend it into the other ingredients. (If you can't add the oil with the machine running, add it a little at a time, blending between additions.)
    • The mixture should be a smooth and uniform emulsion. If it is too thick, add a little water and then blend again. If the emulsion breaks, stop adding oil and blend until the aioli is smooth again.

    Assemble the sandwiches:

    • Slice the tomatoes into ½ inch thick slices. Use a paper towel to blot the slices dry.
    • Toast the slices of bread to your liking: for BLTs I like the bread toasted lightly, but go for darker if that's what you prefer.
    • Lay out 4 toast slices. Spread each slice with about 1 tablespoon of garlic aioli.
    • Place pieces of lettuce on each slice of bread. Top the lettuce with the sliced tomato, 2 slices per sandwich. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste) over the tomatoes. Top the tomatoes with 4 slices of bacon on each sandwich. (The bacon slices can be cut in half to make them fit better if you'd like.)
    • If desired, spread more aioli on the remaining slices of toast. Top each sandwich with toast slices, aioli side down.
    • Use a sharp knife to slice each sandwich in half, and skewer each half with sandwich picks. Place the sandwiches on individual plates and serve them immediately.
    • This recipe makes about 1 cup total of garlic aioli. which can be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days.

    Notes

    • Allow time for the garlic to roast. This step can be done in advance: store the roasted cloves in a sealed container in the fridge.
    • The garlic aioli can be made in advance as well, and stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. 
    • This homemade aioli is made with raw egg yolks. Eating sauces and foods made with raw or under-cooked eggs is not recommended for pregnant women, elderly, children under the age of 4, or individuals with compromised immune systems.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 1126kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 30gFat: 76gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 1566mgPotassium: 766mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 7585IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 7mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment, tell me what you think!
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